Indoor marble playing ring



May 19, 195 3 w, KENNON 2,639,151 I INDOOR MARBLE PLAYING RING Filed Feb. 8, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

May 19, 1953 Filed Feb. 8, 1951 W. A. KENNON 7 2,639,151

INDOOR MARBLE PLAYING RIN G 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDOOR MARBLE PLAYING RING Woodrow A. Kennon, Birmingham, Ala.

Application February 8, 1951, Serial No. 209,964

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an indoor marble playing ring. It has for its main objects to provide such a ring that will be highly eiiicient for the purpose intended, simple in structure, comparatively cheap to manufacture, easy to arrange for use, attractive in appearance, and extremely durable.

A further object is to encourage children to play the game of marbles indoors, especially when outside the weather is wet or otherwise disagreeable. Also to provide means for playing such a game by children residing in apartments and the like where no yards are available.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the drawings and description.

The present invention is an improvement upon a similar device covered by my co-pending application under Serial Number 167,512 filed June 12, 1950, now Patent 2,621,931, December 16, 1952.

By referring generally to the drawings, a part of this application, it will be observed that Fig. l is a top plan view of a marble playing ring made according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is an elevational edge view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a broken away enlarged segment between lines L- l of Fig. 1 showing the rim portion of the ring; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings in detail it will be seen that the ring comprises a flat center surface I that extends to the line 2, and then slants slightly to the outer wall 3 to which it is attached by extensions 4 with spaces 5 between the extensions to permit marbles 6, except the larger shooting marbles, to fall to the bottom floor I that slants toward the front 8 of the ring in order for all marbles 9 that are played off of the flat surface 1 to accumulate at or near an opening member ID in the wall for removal and replaying of the marbles. The surrounding wall has a roof portion II- that ends with a depending portion I2. The space between the depending portion 12 and the start of the slant at the line 2 is sufiicient for the fist of a player to shoot a marble.

From the foregoing it will appear that the assembled ring is adapted for use on a floor, or table, that the flat area included within the ring line 2 comprises the playing portion where the marbles are placed and shot therefrom by the players. If a marble rolls or is shot beyond the flat surface it rolls down the slanting portion, into an open space adjacent the wall, falls to the lower floor and reaches a rest position at or near the opening member in the lower edge of the wall.

The ring may b made of any material suitable for the purpose, but I prefer to use wood, plastic or light grade metal. Also the ring may be made in different sizes and capacities, depending on how and where to be used.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to limit same to the exact and precise details of structure, but reserve the right to make all modifications and changes so long as they remain within the scope of the invention and the following claim.

Having described my invention I claim:

An indoor marble playing ring of the character described comprising, a ring structure consisting of a wall, a floor attached within the wall, the said floor being fiat except for a narrow portion of its outer edge which is slightly slanting toward the wall, a plurality of slots spaced apart around the edge of the floor and adjacent the inner face of the wall, said wall extending upward from said floor for some distance and then extending inward to thus form a roof portion and then extending downward toward the floor with space between the said down turned edge and the floor of sufiicient width to permit a game playing marble to pass between said edge and floor; a sub floor attached to the bottom edge of said surrounding wall, said sub floor being slanting toward one point in said wall, an opening and closing means therefor positioned at the point where the slant of said floor is the lowest.

WOODROW A. KENNON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 712,044 Cooper Oct. 28, 1902 1,492,127 Fox Apr. 29, 1924 1,522,307 Lewis Jan. 6, 1925 1,896,684 Cutting Feb. 7, 1933 2,358,458 Klemm Sept. 19, 1944 2,468,979 Howard May 3, 1949 

